Over 800 students in the Oti Region marked this year's International Youth Day with a symposium at the Dambai Training College at Dambai.

The event, on the theme, “Transforming Education, the Role of the Youth in Contributing to Quality Education in Ghana”, was organised by the National Youth Authority (NYA) and attended by chiefs, opinion leaders and politicians among others.

Mr Emmanuel Asigli, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), National Youth Authority, said the importance of the Day could not be underestimated as it offered the youth the opportunity to contribute to policy and decision-making processes of the country.

He said the Day also provided great opportunity to various governments and institutions across the globe to examine issues affecting the youth and champion the course for their holistic development.

Mr Maxwell Kofi Blagodzi, Deputy Oti Regional Minister, said education held the key to poverty eradication and societal growth and therefore urged the youth to pay attention to education to enable them become responsible citizens to contribute to the socioeconomic development of the country.

He said measures were being put in place to ensure that the various Assemblies set aside special packages that would help the youth go through the various levels of education without difficulties.

Mr Blagodzi urged the youth to take advantage of the various government flagship programmes to enhance their lots.